Musicians rock the stage with original song

Budding rock stars of the future showcased their talents on stage as part of a musical event.

Music students worked with Rock School Music as part of their Key Stage 3 curriculum.

During the programme of workshops, students worked with musicians from Rock School Music on an original composition.

They experienced being part of a band, learning a new instrument/developing their skills on their own instrument and building confidence to perform in front of each other.

The programme culminated in a live performance at Newhampton Arts Centre, along with other young musicians from across Wolverhampton, in front of relatives.

Music Teacher, Mrs A Scott, said: “These are valuable skillsfor students develop over the year if they are thinking fortaking GCSE music.

“For some students, the performance at Newhampton was the first time they have ever performed on stage.

“Highfields was the only school to write and perform their own original song, which is a great achievement for all of the students that took part.

“They all worked well in theirgroups and rehearsed prior to the showcase. I’m so proud of all the 28 students that took part and hope they will continue writing music together.”

Politics in spotlight as Highfields hosts its own election

Election frenzy hit Highfields when hundreds of students turned up to vote for the political party they would have liked to see running the country.

More than 830 students put their votes in the Ballot Box when the school staged its own election to mirror the General Election on December 12th.

Some students wore face masks of Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to cast their votes - with the results not matching the national picture of a Conservative victory.

Head of Citizenship, Mrs C Hartshorne, who organised the event, said: “This General Election really sparked interest among our students about their future and the future of the country.

“Although our mini General Election was much more light hearted than the real thing, it gave our students a chance to understand the process and vote for who they would have liked to have seen in charge following discussions about policies.”

Law teacher, Mrs N Allen, who supported the organisation of the event, said: “We started by asking for volunteers amongst Sixth Form students to see who would be willing to represent a party. “We had volunteers who all agreed to represent a political party and to help us to spread the message around school. 

“They all originally wanted to represent the same party - but agreed to play their part and put forward the views of all of the parties individually.

“We began doing the rounds in assemblies, with all year groups being given an overview of what an election involves and how results are decided, before the Sixth Form volunteers explained the key party policies to students. 

“On the day of the General Election, all year groups were given an opportunity to vote for whichever one they felt best suited their views with students engaging really well with the process.”

The results at Highfields were as follows:

• SNP - 6 votes - 0.7%

• Spoilt Ballots - 25 votes - 3%

• Lib Dems - 32 votes - 7%

• Brexit Party - 47 votes - 6%

• Green Party - 59 votes - 7%

• Conservatives - 118 votes - 14%

• Labour Party - 550 votes - 66%

Ding Dong Merrily On Highfields

Students celebrated the end of 2019 with a host of events, performances and activities, spreading festive cheer throughout the school and wider community.

Singers were in fine voice when they performed for shoppers at Co-op supermarket, in Penn, before entertaining residents at care homes in the region.

The festive ‘tour’ came after students showcased their singing and acting talents at an annual church carol service. St Bartholomew’s Church, in Penn, hosts the carol service for Highfields School students every Christmas. More than 20 talented singers performed Carol of The Bells, 1,000 Years and a selection of traditional Christmas carols before the congregation enjoyed mince pies and hot drinks.

Ms S Bishop, Highfields’ Head of Extra Curricular Performance, said: “The carol service really signals the start of Christmas and our students love getting involved each year.

She added: “Christmas is all about giving and sharing, so it is always important for us to get out into the community at this time of year. Our students put on some brilliant performances and really spread Christmas cheer across the Midlands.”

Talented students then showcased their impressive musical talents in a spectacular Christmas Concert to round off the term.

More than 100 musicians, dancers and singers helped to fill the school with festive cheer when they performed a host of Christmas classics and other well-known hits to a packed audience.

The school choir, flutists and ukulele players, as well as members of the strings group, rock bands and cast of the upcoming school production of Beauty and the Beast were among those who performed in the musical extravaganza.

Highfields also came alive with Christmas spirit when students and staff swapped their uniforms and suits for festive jumpers to help raise money for charity.

The school’s corridors and classrooms were brightened up with colourful jumpers featuring Rudolph, elves, and Santa Claus as Highfields came together to celebrate the festive season with a fundraising Christmas Jumper Day.

Each student and member of staff made a token donation to wear their Christmas jumpers to raise money for Save The Children.

The charity works to give children in the UK and across the world a healthy start in life, running world-class programmes to ensure they have a bright future. 

Headteacher, Mr G Tate, said: “Everyone got into the Christmas spirit by wearing their festive jumpers. It was a great way to round off the term whilst raising money for such a worthwhile cause.”

Once again, students got artistic as part of a competition to create the official Highfields Christmas card for 2019.

The competition was open to students in Years 7 and 8, with a cheery scene of a snowman playing on a swing of colourful fairy lights coming out in first place.

The Christmas card, created by Cam Chillingworth, was sent out in digital form to partnering organisations and Parents/Carers.

Ms J Parker, Head of Lower School, said: “We are always proud to add a personal touch to the school’s official Christmas cards by getting our students to design them. We run the competition annually for Year 7 and 8 students, and we were delighted to have received dozens of entries. They were a great standard but Cameron’s design is a worthy winner.”

Cameron said he was very pleased to have won the competition, and excited that his design had been used on behalf of Highfields.

December 2019 edition of The H is launched!

Our Young Journalists have unveiled the latest edition of the school's magazine, The H.

The magazine is once again packed with news article and features, giving an insight into the many success stories, events and trips over the past term, as well as opinion pieces written by students.

Our editorial team is responsible for sourcing and writing stories from around school and putting them together into a professional standard newspaper.

Any students interested in becoming part of The H team, or putting forward feature ideas, can email vnash@hswv.co.uk or tbanks01@hswv.co.uk

To view a digital version of the December 2019 edition of The H, click the image below:

Students serve up scrumptious Christmas lunch for veterans

Veterans were treated to a Christmas lunch cooked by Highfields students.

Dozens of veterans from the Army, Royal Air Force and Navy were joined by representatives of Age UK Wolverhampton and Rotary Club members for the three-course lunch.

The meal was prepared by Sixth Form Catering students, supported by Health & Social students from Years 8 and 9, and with the help of Mitchell Burrows, Junior Sous Chef of the Mount Hotel in Wolverhampton. Service was conducted under the supervision of The Mount Hotel’s General Manager, Neil Wyatt.

Mr Burrows praised our ‘exceptional’ students and said they dished up a ‘fantastic’ meal.

Organised by Wolverhampton St George’s Rotary Club, the event formed part of the friendship scheme run by Age UK Wolverhampton and supported by Armed Forces charity, SSAFA, to ensure veterans are not alone.

As part of the festive celebrations, guests were also treated to a performance by the school’s choir.

It is the second time Highfields has hosted the event, and guests said they had enjoyed a fantastic afternoon.

Keith Sedgebeer, Highfields’ Chair of Governors, said: “We are delighted to welcome our group for the second time for their Christmas lunch.

“As always, it was a great treat to see them all - and not looking a year older.

“We very much hope we will be able to host them again next year.

“We are very grateful to the Wolverhampton St George’s Rotary Club for yet again organising the event. Finally, we’re incredibly grateful to all the youngsters at Highfields who helped in so many ways to make it such as successful event."

Miss B Chima, Interim Head of Food Technology, said: “It was a huge undertaking and we have been planning the event for weeks, but it has been great and we have enjoyed every minute of the process.

“It is the second Christmas we have welcomed Rotary Club members and veterans into school, and we were delighted to treat them to a delicious Christmas meal.

“I would like to say a huge thank you to all of the students involved for their hard work, as well as chef Mitchell Burrows, Mount Hotel General Manager, Neil Wyatt, and Events co-ordinator, Chris, who supported the event.

“Thank you also to Mr Thompson for supplying artwork to showcase at the event, and to Mr Brittle for providing Christmas decorations.

“It went really well and the students did a fantastic job. Our guests were very impressed with their efforts.”

Rotary Club Members described the event as ‘phenomenal’.

Steve Glass, said: “It was absolutely phenomenal. They improve every year and the service was brilliant. The entertainment was also great, it was lovely to hear such beautiful voices.”

Fellow Rotary Club member, Val Astbury, said: “The students were all very polite and helpful, and the food was beautiful. I think the choir are just amazing.

“I’ve had a lovely afternoon and I look forward to coming next year.”

Students said they had learnt so much from the experience.

Year 13 Catering student, Simran Bigra, said: “It has been a great experience through which I have learnt a lot of new skills. My favourite part of the event was being able to cook on a professional level for a large group of people.”

Hundreds attend Sixth Form Open Evening

Highfields welcomed more than 400 visitors to its annual Sixth Form Open Evening, showcasing everything it offers post 16.

Prospective students and their families flocked to the event, where they got the chance to speak to current Sixth Form students and staff about their work, curriculum, examination results and life at Highfields.

They also got the chance to learn more about the extensive range of A-Level and Applied courses we offer and tour the school’s facilities.

Presentations were made by Head of Sixth Form, Mr S Pycroft, and members of the Student Leadership Team. Representatives from a number of universities were also on hand to provide advice about life after Highfields Sixth Form.

Mr Pycroft said: “It is always pleasing that so many of our Year 11 students choose to stay on to study at our Sixth Form and we were delighted to host this Open Evening so other students could get a feel of what we have to offer.

“Highfields is proud of its thriving Sixth Form, which offers an extensive range of courses. We have a reputation for providing high quality teaching in a supportive, friendly and challenging environment, giving our students the best possible foundations to succeed on whatever life path they choose after Sixth Form.

“This year’s Open Evening was another great success and it was wonderful to welcome so many people through the doors to give them a flavour of our Sixth Form.”

The Open Evening was held following a positive set of 2019 A-Level results, with record numbers of students having now moved on to university. Sixth Form students achieved a 100% pass rate - 73% of them being A*-C grades. Thirty per cent of students achieved A*-A grades in Science and Maths, 11 of them being the top A* grade.

For more information about our Sixth Form, please email spycroft@hswv.co.uk

Staying in Learning Day inspires students for future

Year 11 students were inspired to look forward to life after Highfields and understand the options available to them during this year’s Staying in Learning Day.

The event is an annual fixture on Highfields’ calendar which allows all Year 11 students to take part in a range of hands-on workshops and activities to support them with both their short and long-term educational and career goals.

The day was tailored to suit individual needs as students chose to take part in workshops and lectures based on the pathways they are interested in taking after finishing their GCSEs.

Those planning to stay on at Sixth Form or moving to college to study A-Levels were given a glimpse of further education with workshops in a host of subjects ranging from Maths, Science and English Literature to Film Studies, Catering, Health & Social Care and Law.

Professionals also visited the school to give practical advice and demonstrations, allowing students an insight into typical working expectations in a range of careers including Travel and Tourism, Hair and Beauty, Hospitality, Media and Engineering.

Mr C Rhodes, Highfields’ Upper School Raising Achievement Manager, said: “The event provides students with information and guidance on the pathways and progression routes available to them post 16. 

“It is a great opportunity for them to process the decisions they will be having to make shortly."

Staff and students qualify in First Aid

Staff and Sixth Form students have completed a nationally-recognised Emergency First Aid at Work qualification - with parents now being encouraged to sign up to learn the life-saving skills.

Nineteen Sixth Form students and three members of staff voluntarily attended three two-hour sessions after school to work towards the qualification in November.

Six lunchtime supervisors have also gained the qualification after completing training during an INSET day.

They learnt a range of skills, including CPR (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation), together with how to treat major bleeding, burns, seizures, choking, fainting minor injuries and anaphylaxis.

The First Aid courses are organised by Sixth Form Manager, Mrs L Corbett. Over the past four years, she has trained 231 staff, students and parents in First Aid.

She said: “We have run 29 courses over the past four years, the majority of which being Emergency First Aid at Work, which run for six hours usually across three sessions.

“Every member of our Year Teams are trained to the full First Aid at Work standard, which is the equivalent of a three-day course, as well as technicians, a number of PE staff, LRC staff and outdoor education leaders.

“It is wonderful that so many of our students and staff are being taught skills that could potentially save lives.”

Mrs Corbett said the school was keen to get more parents/carers involved in the First Aid courses. Anyone interested should email lcorbett@hswv.co.uk

Performers showcase talents at dance celebration

Performers showcased their talents during a dance extravaganza featuring more than 100 students from six Wolverhampton schools.

Highfields hosted the event, called ‘I Am Dance’, allowing students to share their work in front of a live audience.

Dance students from across the city took centre stage in the Lyceum Theatre, wowing with an eclectic mix of performances ranging from lyrical to upbeat jazz, street dance and Bollywood.

Organised by Highfields Dance teacher, Miss E Weblin, the event is the first of its kind for the school, but it is hoped it will now become an annual fixture on the calendar after proving such a success.

Miss Weblin said: “The event was all about celebrating the subject of Dance and honouring the commitment of students. It gave them the opportunity to share their work, which rarely gets performed to an audience.

“The students were really excited for their efforts to be seen and they put on a fantastic show. It was great to welcome students from other schools in Wolverhampton and we hope we can make this celebration of dance an annual event.”

Highfields bids fond farewell to Head of Upper School

Highfields will be bidding farewell to our longstanding and much respected Head of Upper School, Mrs N Clifton, as she takes up her new appointment as Headteacher of Kinver High School.

Mrs Clifton will be leaving to take the helm of the South Staffordshire school on December 1, after more than 7 years at Highfields.

A Spanish teacher, Mrs Clifton’s Highfields career started in 2012 when she joined as Assistant Headteacher with special responsibility as Head of Upper School. She was promoted to Deputy Headteacher in 2016 whilst maintaining her overall responsibility for Upper School.

In this role, she has been integral in raising the aspirations and achievements of thousands of GCSE students, helping Highfields to secure record-breaking exam results year on year. 

She has worked tirelessly to ensure all students achieve their potential; organising and running daily revision sessions, residential revision and team-building trips, as well as numerous rewards celebrations and social events to recognise the efforts and achievements of students. 

As a member of the Senior Leadership and Management Team, she has been influential in maintaining Highfields’ position as one of Wolverhampton’s top schools and its glowing feedback from Ofsted inspectors.

She said: “This really is a bittersweet moment for me. It has been an absolute pleasure to have spent the past 7 years as Head of Highfields Upper School and member of the school’s SLT.

“Our students have never failed to impress me, working tirelessly throughout the stressful exam process to fulfil their potential and do themselves, their families and the school proud.

“As a teacher, it is a privilege to play a part in helping to shape the future for students, and it has been an honour to have worked with so many talented, hard-working and enthusiastic young people at such an important stage in their lives.

“I would like to thank all of the staff, parents and students who have made my time at Highfields so positive and rewarding, and I am now looking forward to this exciting new chapter and challenge as Headteacher of Kinver High School.”

Headteacher, Mr G Tate, said: “On behalf of all of us here at Highfields, I would like to thank Mrs Clifton for her tireless work ensuring all of our students aim high and fulfil their potential.

“Her positive influence as Head of Upper School and valued member of the Senior Team are evident in Highfields’ record-breaking GCSE results. We wish her every success in this exciting new chapter of her career.”

The role of Head of Upper School will be taken on by Mr D Treble, currently Head of Upper School Maths, until the end of the academic year. He will be supported by Deputy Headteacher, Mr A Cheetham.

Mr Tate said: “We are delighted to appoint Mr Treble to the role of Head of Upper School. He has years of experience working with students towards their GCSEs and we are confident he will do a fantastic job.”